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Beto O'Rourke says he won't run for president in 2020

60 Minutes asks Sen. Ted Cruz and Congressman Beto O'Rourke whether they might face off again in 2020 — in a race for the White House

2018Nov 04

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In the video above, correspondent Jon Wertheim asks Senator Ted Cruz and Congressman Beto O'Rourke about their possible plans for higher office beyond 2018. Below is a transcript. For 60 Minutes' full report on the Senate race in Texas, click here.

JON WERTHEIM: You share the others seem to have that this race may have a rematch. And it may not be the in Texas Senate. That we may be witnessing two future presidential candidates here.

TED CRUZ: Look, who knows? I-- I-- I do think Congressman O'Rourke has his eyes set on Iowa and New Hampshire. He--

JON WERTHEIM: You?

TED CRUZ: --all-- all-- clearly lookin' forward to that. Now, but listen, I'm-- I'm-- you know-- you know, that-- that there's the old line about glass houses. So I've-- I've run for Senate and then run for president. And I-- you know, if he wants to do that, that's-- he can do that.

JON WERTHEIM: We've heard a lotta people speculate that you and Sen. Cruz may face each other again, not in a Senate rematch but running for a higher office. What are your thoughts on-- on running for president?

BETO O'ROURKE: I don't wanna do it. I will not do it. Amy and I are raisin' an 11-year-old, a 10-year-old and a 7-year-old. And we spent the better part of the last two years not with each other, missing birthdays and anniversaries and time together. And we-- we-- our-- our family could not survive more of that. We, we need to be together.

JON WERTHEIM: Is that reversible? You're saying you'll, you'll never run for president?

BETO O'ROURKE: I'm saying that if elected to the Senate, I'll serve every day of that six-year term, that I'm not lookin' at 2020. And, and, in fact, am completely ruling that out, not going to do that.

JON WERTHEIM: No matter what? Win or lose you're not gonna run--

BETO O'ROURKE: Win or lose--

JON WERTHEIM: --in 2020?

BETO" O'ROURKE: Win or lose, I'm not-- I'm not running in, in 2020. I gotta tell you, it's incredibly flattering that anyone would ask me the question or that that's even up for discussion. But, but since people have asked, the answer's no.